Method of making metal objects



Patented Aug. 14, 1934 METHOD OF MAKING METAL OBJECTS Solomon F. Cushman, Jr., Agawam, Mass.

No Drawing. Application March 3, 1932,

. Serial No. 596,575

1 Claim.

a an ornamental nature.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a method for making shell-like metal objects particularly of an ornamental nature which simulate hand carved and chased objects.

The common practice is to cast metal objects in molds. Where a high degree of ornamentation is desired the molds are complex so as to be expensive and the results obtained are not satisfactory because the faces of the castings do not closely simulate the original pattern.

According to this invention it is possible to produce metal objects of an ornamental nature and the like which simulate hand carved pieces and according to special features of the invention it is possible to produce the same in an economical manner.

According to the method of the invention in one way a pattern such as a hand carved master pattern is provided and an impression of this is made in a mold of some suitable plastic material. By a plating operation a thin film of metal is deposited on the impression. For instance, a thin film of copper may be deposited on the impression and this is peeled off so that there is provided a relatively thin shell-like membrane, the outer faces of which correspond to the impression of the mold and is an exact duplicate of the face of the master pattern used for the impression.

The metal shell-like member which is relatively thin as stated is of course, fragile and easily breakable or bendable and it is to reinforce and preserve the member that certain novel features of the invention are directed.

According to the invention the metal shell-like piece is turned upside down and filled with a metal which is preferably of a non-corrosive nature in ordinary atmosphere and of a self-fluxing character.

For instance, where the metal shell-like member to be reinforced is of copper or of some similar material, the self-fluxing metal used for reinforcing may consist of copper combined with phosphorus, or some other material such as silicon, antimony or the like which, when melted, will have sufiicient fiuxing action to adhere well to the shell-like member.

As an example, a so-called self fiuxing metal containing 92% copper, and 8% phosphorus has been found to be satisfactory for the purpose of the invention. This in the form of fine granules, flakes or the like, is spread upon or poured into the depressions on the rear side of the shell-like member and then the whole is heated in a furnace or the like to a temperature which will cause melting of the reinforcing metal. Preferably the melting point of this will be somewhat less than that of the shell-like member.

As the reinforcing metal is melted it will by reason of its special characteristics adhere readily to the shell-like member so as to reinforce the same throughout its rear face and thus form a rigid strong structure as distinguished from the fragile shell-like member without the reinforcmg.

In this way a very delicate member such as an ornamental piece is reinforced in such a way as to be equally as strong and heavy as a cast piece, and which by reason of the method of procedure may have a face equal to that produced by carving or chasing, and superior to that produced by casting.

Because the face of the object is formed by a plating process so asto closely simulate the master pattern, the finished object has the effect of a carved or engraved object and the reinforcing strengthens and supports the same.

What I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

The method of making a metal object having an ornamented front face which consists in, molding an impression having an ornamented upper face in a mold, plating over said upper face with a relatively thin film of non-ferrous metal having a relatively high melting point to provide a metal shell having relatively thin walls and an ornamented upper face, removing said shell from said impression and turning it over so that said upper face faces downwardly, filling in between said walls with fusible metal having a relatively low melting point, heating said shell and fusible metal to at least the melting point of said fusible metal whereby the said fusible metal adheres to the inside of said walls and face to reinforce the same and provide a composite reinforced structure having an ornamented upper face only.

SOLOMON F. CUSHMAN, JR. 

